Orbital Traction

Our product is based on a simple mechanical device that can be readily retrofitted into existing systems. The system has a significantly higher power density with a small form factor, is lower cost, and is designed for use in harsh environments. Similar to continuously variable transmissions (CVTs) used for automotive and transportation solutions, Orbital’s drive has a variable input to output speed ratio over its operating range. Our technology has been validated in several independent performance tests for the US Department of Defense, which has confirmed performance benefits and cost reductions.

Orbital Traction’s products optimize the performance of engine and electric motor driven systems in commercial and industrial products. We solve a critical problem in industrial automation; the inability of installed industrial systems to fully control the rotating speed. Our products provide a cost-effective solution to improve control, facilitate meaningful automation and provide the optimization benefits promised by IIoT; reducing energy consumption and the associated carbon footprint by up-to 50%. Many industrial systems have synchronous electric motors for prime movers and use simple on/off control or employ energy wasting control techniques such as braking, choking or recirculation. These control schemes waste energy and do not provide optimum performance from the system. An alternative solution uses electrical control systems such as variable frequency, AC or DC drives. These systems are often expensive to retrofit, take significant space due to low power density, require advanced power electronics to provide energy efficiency improvements and are not suitable for harsh environments without additional expensive protection systems.

Orbital’s ASD technology has been commercially proven as a control system for oil well drilling tools. Orbital’s team previously developed, commercialized and successfully exited this first application, which resulted in the creation of Orbital. The technology has been further validated and matured in significant areas including cost, life, reliability, durability, simplicity and manufacturability. Orbital has extended its application development experience and has been awarded eight separate government development contracts through competitive bid and peer technical review. These contracts, with $7.5 million in associated revenue, focus on improving the performance of engine accessories and improving fuel efficiency. Orbital has now developed multiple products, validated the operational performance and confirmed fuel efficiency improvements with independent testing. The Marine Corps has completed on-vehicle field testing of three applications (fan drive, water pumps and alternators) for thermal management and power generation. Orbital is pushing to commercialize the ASD technology by focusing on the industrial pumping application of artificial lift in upstream O&G. Additionally, Orbital is in discussions with potential strategic partners for on-engine thermal management including leading water pump and fan drive manufacturers with global market access. Orbital has been contacted by numerous other companies with product interest across multiple market applications.